Our first hike with our baby was when he was three months old. It was summer time and he seemed so fragile, especially in the heat. I was scared and nervous, yet determined. I wanted to show our new baby the world around him, however, there were so many variables to consider. He is a strong and healthy one year old now, and we have hit the trail countless times since that first mountaintop hike. In this post, I’m going to provide you with 6 tips to help and encourage you to hike and travel with your baby.
1.) Test Your Gear
While our baby was small (>12 lbs.), we used the Ergobaby Original for the trail. This allowed me to have him close to me so he could hear my heart beat, the sound of me breathing, and breastfeed if he needed to. Since he knew I was right there to respond to his needs, it kept him calm. We tested the Ergobaby Original several times before our first hike around the neighborhood and on local walks.
Once he became too heavy (>20 lbs.) for the Ergobaby Original, we transitioned to the Osprey Poco Premium. Once again, we tested this carrier to get him comfortable with a different pack. We also needed to make sure the torso adjustments were just right for our bodies before we hit the trail. To make sure he was comfortable, we carried both carriers on those initial hikes when we were making the transition. Testing your gear avoids any U-Turns back to the car once you are on the trail.
2.) Start Small
Prior to having a baby, Drew and I used to average 10-20 mile hikes on the weekends. I wasn’t sure if I could do that distance only a few months postpartum. I also wasn’t sure if our baby would enjoy being on the trail. I selected a distance that would be easy for me physically postpartum, and that was short enough that Drew could run back to the car if we had an emergency. I also wanted to select a distance that would be appropriate based on the number of miles we move per hour (MPH). Based on our previous hike data using our Suunto GPSÂ watches, I knew that we moved around 2.5 MPH. I assumed that we would be moving 1.5-2.0 MPH given my postpartum condition. Our first hike with Owen was 4 miles, and seemed just right based on our physical condition and the speed that we were able to move.
3.) Start With A Familiar Trail
I would strongly recommend selecting a trail that you’ve done before. If you are new to hiking, find someone who has knowledge of the trail you are going to or read several trip reports online. Knowing the elevation, distance, incline, and exposure of your trail before you go helps you prepare for what you will need to bring and any unexpected circumstances along the way. For example, is your trail shady in the morning or afternoon? Are the hills going to be too tough if you are carrying a baby in front of you? I love tracking the distance I’ve hiked, the elevation, and watching the storm alarm with my Suunto watch so I have as much information as possible while carrying my baby.
4.) Plan For The Unexpected
Plan for the unexpected with your baby and you will be prepared on the trail. Generally, this falls into three categories for me: food, clothing, and protection.
Bring enough food and water on the trail for yourself and your baby. At the beginning of our hiking journey, I was breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding, test your carrier while breastfeeding. Are you able to hike with your baby in the carrier while breastfeeding? If not, are you comfortable sitting on the dirt? Do you need to bring a light weight nursing cover? Next, Owen transitioned to solids and breastmilk. Plan for your baby to be in an extreme growth spurt, and you will have more than enough food. Bring a variety of solid foods, just in case your baby is having one of those moments where they decide they don’t want their favorite food. Also, don’t forget to bring food and water for yourself! Plan on bringing extra calories you can easily digest for carrying a heavier load. Consider bringing extra water, especially if you are dehydrated from breastfeeding.
I apply the same concept of layering with my baby while on the trail. Consider that your baby is not moving so your body temperature will be warmer than their temperature. I love using merino wool onesies as a base layer to keep my baby nice and dry. On top of that, I will use a Columbia fleece jacket, Columbia windproof, or Columbia down jacket, depending on the conditions projected in the weather report before we depart. I also bring an extra pair of clothes to change him into once we arrive back at the car.
Protection from the elements is an important consideration on the trail. I always carry Neutrogena Baby sunscreen, a wide brim sun hat, and a warm beanie. When hiking with the Ergobaby Original, I made a custom sun cover that would wrap around me completely to protect his legs and arms from the sun. When hiking with the Osprey PocoPremium, I used the Osprey Poco rain cover to protect from wind and rain. We have never encountered anything but a light drizzle, but it has done wonders for us in windy conditions.
4.) Bring A Communication Device
Assume that your trail does not have cell phone coverage. The worst circumstance would be if you were in an emergency situation with your baby and you couldn’t contact help immediately. We always hike with the InReach Explorer for this reason. The InReach allows us to have satellite connectivity to emergency services with the click of a button. The InReach also allows us to send text messages to family members, and gives them a method for following our hike virtually to make sure we are making progress. We don’t leave home without it!
6.) Stop To Meet Their Basic Needs
If our baby cries, we stop immediately. We check to see if he is comfortable with the clothes he has on, if he needs a diaper change, or if he is hungry. This allows him to feel safe and secure with the fact that his basic needs are being met. If he isn’t fussy, we make it a rule to stop every two hours. At the two hour mark, we change his diaper and offer him milk and food. Even if his diaper appears dry, we change it. Even if he doesn’t seem hungry, we offer him food. This has resulted in a very happy baby on the trail who doesn’t hesitate to go on a hike.
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Excellent practical notes on taking the sprout on the trail and being equipped and confident for the peak ahead! Well done Robison family for sharing your great photo expose on family hikers and the logistics of doing so.
Thank you so much! Several people stop us on the trail to ask for advice, so we figured it would be good to start reaching out to folks via trailtopeak.com too!
Excellent post! I remember few days ago I had asked something similar Drew in the comments section of a previous post on this blog, and now, I am glad to see/read this great post.
From my personal experience, I would like to add that with our son (2 and a half years old) it works great when we let him “decide” what to add on his tiny backpack and of course he feels very excited to help us out when we set up our tent. He feels very proud when he puts a stake on the ground and in general I think is very important to let toddlers be part of the whole outdoor experience.
Again, thanks for the nice post and looking forward for more similar posts.
So cool to hear that you let your son help pitch the tent and choose what he wants to pack in his backpack! We’ll definitely take that advice now that our boy is getting close to an age where he can do that.
What kind of pack did you get your toddler?
He has a QUECHUA KID’S ARPENAZ 7 LITRES BACKPACK. He is quite tall for his age and he can carry it without problem. Of course, as you can guess his backpack only has some little cars and his small bottle of water. đŸ™‚
Thanks! Your previous comment inspired us to start generating content for parents and families. We are just entering the toddler years. We can’t wait until Owen starts wearing his own backpack! What other types of posts would you like to see?
Hi Julia
I wish you guys to enjoy every single moment you spend with Owen. Although I can imagine is not very easy to travel around with him, I can assure you that the more he grows the easier will become. And of course soon he will be able to have a small backpack with his personal stuff in it (basically toys).
With regards other types of posts, I think that you guys are doing an excellent job with “Trail to Peak” website. You have great content, beautiful photos, nice reports and plenty of reviews. Your blog is one of the most interesting blog I generally visit.
Having said that, if you continue with the same passion for excellent posts, as you already do, then I guess your readership will be as happy as I am.
Finally, thanks again for sharing all the nice posts with us.
Clear,concise information! Thanks for sharing such vital information. It’s so important for new parents to stay active and healthy.
I agree, Boyd! Staying active with a young child has been a huge part of everyone staying sane, too! đŸ™‚
Thank you!
Great piece! I love seeing you guys getting out with your baby. Have you done any research on what age its safe for a baby to be up at elevation? Our SoCal mountains are not too high but we love to hike in the Eastern Sierras and would want to be able to take a little one with us on short backpacking trips when the time comes.
I’ve done an extensive amount of research on elevation safety with babies. The topic probably warrants its own article! In short, our rule of thumb has been +1,500 feet to his birth elevation for each activity. If your baby was born at 4,000 feet, you could start by trying an activity at 5,500 feet after their lungs are fully developed (3+ months) and monitor their alertness, hunger, and mood. The following weekend, you could increase another +1,500 feet and continue to monitor. We always selected trails that were short in mileage so we could descend quickly if needed. We also always carried our InReach on us. It’s really important to breast/bottle feed more than usual, as dehydration is a serious concern. Also, SIDS is a higher risk at +8,000 feet, so avoiding overnighters until you are confident that they are comfortable at elevation. We waited to climb past 10,000 feet until Owen was past 1 years old and had done several hikes in the 6,000-9,000 foot range prior to summiting past 10,000 feet. Elevation training should be gradual and requires a significant amount of research beforehand so you know the warning signs of elevation sickness with a baby.
Thank you! Yes please do a whole post on the topic!
Excellent tips and cute photos! I had to resort to bribery (treats) a few times as our son got older to get us through some hikes. He’s 20 now and loves hiking with his friends.